Modeling of Cellular Detonation in Gas Suspensions of Submicron and Nano-Sized Aluminum Particles

Abstract

Cellular detonation in monodisperse suspensions of submicron and nano-sized aluminum particles is numerically simulated. Approaches of mechanics of heterogeneous media are applied. The transition from the continuum to free-molecular regime of the flow around the particles is taken into account in the processes of interphase interaction. Particle combustion is described within the framework of the semi-empirical model developed previously. Results calculated for two-dimensional flows in a plane channel for suspensions of aluminum particles with the particle size ranging from 1 µm to 100 nm are presented. The regular structure of cellular detonation is found to transform to an irregular structure as the particle size decreases. An increase in the peak pressure and enlargement of the detonation cell are also noted, which is attributed to enhancement of the activation energy of reduced kinetics caused by the transition to the kinetic regime of combustion of aluminum particles.